1. A method of monitoring electronic tag operation comprising the steps of passing an item through a read volume; identifying the item by reading a label on the item with a data reader device and thereby obtaining identification data; determining whether the item includes an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tag by attempting to sense an EAS tag using an EAS sense and deactivation system; if an EAS tag has been sensed, (a) attempting to deactivate the EAS tag and (b) validating whether the EAS tag has been deactivated by attempting to re-sense the EAS tag after attempting to deactivate; if the EAS tag has been re-sensed, repeating steps (a) and (b) for up to a given period or a given number of cycles; assembling operation data of the EAS system pertaining to sensing and attempting to deactivate the EAS tag, the EAS system operation data including the number of deactivation attempts having been attempted on the item; correlating the EAS system operation data, including the number of deactivation attempts, to the item identified, sending both the EAS system operation data and the item identification data to a host.