EXHIBIT 31(a)


                           CERTIFICATIONS


 I, Keith E. Trost, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Sears
   Roebuck Acceptance Corp.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain
   any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
   a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in
   light of the circumstances under which such statements
   were made, not misleading with respect to the period
   covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and
   other financial information included in this annual report,
   fairly present in all material respects the financial
   condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
   registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this
   annual report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are
   responsible for establishing and maintaining
   disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange
   Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the
   registrant and we have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or
    caused such disclosures controls  to be designed
    under  our supervision, to ensure that material information
    relating to the registrant, including its
    consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
    within  those entities, particularly during the period in
    which this annual report is being prepared;

(b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
    disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this
    annual report our conclusions about the effectiveness of
    the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the
    end of the period covered by this annual report based
    on such evaluation; and

(c) Disclosed in this annual report any changes in the
    registrant's internal control over financial reporting that
    occurred during the  registrant's most recent fiscal quarter
    (the registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual
    report ) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
    to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
    financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed,
   based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
   financial reporting,  to the registrant's auditors and the audit
   committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons
   performing the equivalent functions):

  (a) All significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in
      the design or operation of internal control over financial
      reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
      the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize
      and report financial information; and

  (b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
      or other employees who have a significant role in the
      registrant's internal control over financial reporting.



Date: March 10,  2004

By:  /s/ Keith E. Trost
    -------------------
    Keith E. Trost
    President (principal executive officer)