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1) Learn which stores serve DRM-books, which stores don't, and which stores do a mix and if there are ever any exceptions.
For example, Kobo books seem to be always DRM, even if the publisher normally sells them non-DRM direct from their website, such as happens with Carina Press, an offshoot of Harlequin romances.
Conversely, computer book publisher O'Reilly is proudly DRM-free and MultiFormat for all its titles purchased directly from their website, and even gives you free updates and a discount on the e-book if you purchased the physical copy. Baen does a similar thing via its Webscriptions service for sf/fantasy, not just for their own published books, but also for those from other participating sf/fantasy imprints.
In between, Amazon allows publishers to pick DRM-or-not, but they obfuscate this info for the end-user by code-wording it as "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" in the Product Details section on their website.
Similarly, B&N seem to offer books from particular publishers DRM-free (all the Ellora's Cave and Samhain Publishing romance freebies I've picked up from them have been non-DRM), but with no indication until I tried dropping the files onto a non-DRM supporting software reader and didn't get the usual error message.
Fictionwise is much more open, in that it flat-out states that some books are "Secure", and others "MultiFormat", and explains and labels each accordingly.
2) Once you have your list and know the rules, stick to the vendors you think you can trust for the books you want, provided they carry them to begin with.
3) In case of mistaken purchase, Google and taking the time to learn certain command-line skills will be your friends.
4) Also familiarize yourself with Public Domain and Creative Commons repositories.
Hope this helps.
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