Presumably the same would be true if they were using a PC laptop or netbook, and they'd pay someone to do the install, thus raising the price?
Pretty much any technically capable person with the requisite torx drivers can install RAM or disk in a Macbook. They are user-installable, so any PC repair type person ought to be able to do it, not just the Apple store.
Hell, you don't even need Torx (although they help). I upped my MBP to 8 GB RAM last week, using an ordinary (albeit miniscule) flathead screwdriver. It did take me about 4 tries to get the DIMMs seated correctly, though.
Do you mean torx bits with the security pin? Torx bits are everywhere, its hard to buy driver/bit kits that do not include most torx sizes. Torx+security pin is a different story. Microsoft switched to using them on all of the 360 controllers recently.
I hope I don't get downvoted too much for this comment that adds little: look up "Elder Sign" on Wikipedia if you don't know what it is. I haven't read Lovecraft and simply thought that Elder Sign was a curious brand name.
This (12 page!!) link shows that first generation MBPs are actually pretty tricky to change the hard drive; but that all 3 generations need a torx driver for the HD.
Pretty much any technically capable person with the requisite torx drivers can install RAM or disk in a Macbook. They are user-installable, so any PC repair type person ought to be able to do it, not just the Apple store.