EXHIBIT 31(a)


 CERTIFICATIONS

 I, Keith E. Trost, certify that:

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

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly 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 quarterly 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 quarterly 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 quarterly report is being prepared;

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

(c) Disclosed in this  quarterly 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: August  10,  2004

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