The Padlock is Deceiving
Look for the padlock; trust the website if it has a padlock, the website is safe if it has a padlock. This was advice previously given in regards to whether or not a website was safe to use and trustworthy to make purchases. It meant the website was protecting your data, keeping it safe. Brian Krebs, KrebsonSecurity, reports that half of all phishing sites now have that exact same padlock. The padlock really means your communication data, between you and the website is encrypted, not that the website is ran and hosted by trustworthy people.
Seeing the padlock should only indicate that the data you communicate to the website is encrypted. It is important to verify the website and ensure its reputation prior to purchasing anything from it. This can be done by reading online reviews from 3rd party sites or by asking people you trust. Call the company that owns the website and speak with customer service to try to gauge legitimacy.