Buy from merchants you know you can trust.
Secure technology is important, but so is plain, old-fashioned trust.
REI has been supplying quality outdoor gear and customer service since 1938. Make sure the merchant uses secure commerce technology. All sensitive information you enter during the checkout process, including credit card information, is encrypted while traveling the Internet. When you check out, print the screen so you have a paper record of your purchase. It will be invaluable if you need to contact customer service.